For DM9, the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was supposed to be a triumphant return to the global spotlight. The Brazilian agency had clinched the coveted Grand Prix in the Creative Data category, thanks to a powerful campaign created for Whirlpool’s Consul brand: a campaign that seemed to blend purpose, innovation, and technological flair.

But within days, that victory unravelled.

Behind the glossy case film and applause from industry peers lay a troubling secret: the campaign’s story appeared not to be entirely real, thereby costing DM9 everything.

It started with murmurs—whispers in the corridors of Cannes and headlines in industry media like Adweek, which reported that CNN Brasil had issued a formal complaint after discovering that a segment appearing to be their broadcast had been altered using AI. The case film featured AI-generated and manipulated content made to look like CNN had endorsed or reported on the campaign.

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According to Adweek, one segment in particular raised red flags: a clip that appeared to be a CNN Brasil news broadcast. Except it wasn’t real. It was altered, AI-assisted footage. CNN Brasil, understandably, wasn’t pleased and filed a formal complaint against both DM9 and Whirlpool.

That complaint opened the floodgates.

As scrutiny mounted, DM9 launched an internal investigation. What they found even shocked the agency’s investigative panel. The agency publicly admitted that three of its entries to Cannes—including the Grand Prix-winning “Efficient Way to Pay”—contained “serious inconsistencies” related to the truthfulness and authenticity of the work.

Alongside the Consul campaign, DM9 also agreed to pull two other high-profile entries:

“Plastic Blood” for biotech firm OKA

“Gold = Death” for indigenous rights group Urihi Yanomami

Cannes Lions confirmed that all associated awards would be revoked.

By the time Cannes Lions issued its official statement on June 27, the damage was already done.

“The submission misled jurors and violated rules,” the festival said. “This breaches the Cannes Lions entry rules on factual representation and undermines the trust placed in the work by our juries and the wider community.”

The fallout was swift and public. Icaro Doria, DM9’s co-president and chief creative officer, resigned. The agency released a sombre LinkedIn statement accepting full responsibility and announced plans to set up an AI Ethics Committee to avoid future issues.

Cannes Lions, meanwhile, faced its reckoning. If AI can be used to fake success stories, how do you safeguard the integrity of creativity?

The festival responded urgently with new measures:

A revised Code of Conduct for all entrants

Mandatory AI disclosure in submissions

Deployment of AI-detection tools to verify content

A specialised adjudication committee with ethics and tech expertise

Public enforcement, including disqualifications and revocations

“Cannes Lions exists to celebrate creativity that is real, representative, and responsible,” organisers reaffirmed.

For DM9, what began as a moment of glory turned into a global embarrassment. But for the entire industry, this is a reminder: in the race to innovate, integrity must remain non-negotiable.

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As brands and agencies explore the possibilities of AI, the DM9 story will echo as a warning: don’t just create smarter; create honestly.

This moment is even more surprising considering DM9’s proud legacy in global advertising.

DM9 is a renowned advertising agency based in São Paulo, Brazil. Known for its bold creativity and strong storytelling, the agency has been a major force in shaping Brazilian advertising since its founding in 1975. After its acquisition by DDB Worldwide, DM9 then rebranded as DM9DDB, gained global recognition and earned many awards at Cannes Lions and other festivals.

The agency is famous for blending innovation with cultural insight, working across sectors like telecoms, retail, finance, and consumer goods. DM9 has built a team of top creative minds who use data, technology, and emotion to tell powerful brand stories.

This latest scandal, as reported by Adweek, might have shaken the agency’s reputation, but DM9’s deep creative roots and global influence remain undeniable.